Ongoing trade tensions between Europe and China over Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) are raising concerns about the potential damage this could to valuable China-EU trade ties in other sectors.
The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, decided in early July that provisional tariffs of up to 37.6 percent would be slapped on Chinese-made EVs.
On August 20, the commission published a draft plan to make those tariffs definitive, at slightly revised rates, subject to approval by European Union member states.
According to the disclosed information, the anti-subsidy tax rates for the three sampled Chinese EV companies, BYD, Geely, and SAIC, are 17.0 percent, 19.3 percent, and 36.3 percent, respectively.
Some European countries like Germany and Spain have criticized the measures, fearing a possible trade war with China.
Some residents in Paris, capital city of France, also shared their views on the EV dispute with a China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter.
"I'm not too interested in electric cars. I hear from people who say that when they drive electric cars, they lose a lot of range very quickly. Also, it's not easy to recharge cars on freeways either," said a resident.
"If China is ever taxed on electric vehicles in the European market, they could do the same thing and take market share away from us on some of the European and especially French products. France has a strong international presence in the spirits and luxury goods sector. So there's a risk," said another man.
There have been warnings from some French exporters that the tariffs against China in auto sector could end up having a negative impact on another industry - cognac.
China launched its own investigation earlier this year into European wine-based liquors.
French brands constitute 99 percent of China's cognac imports raising concerns among some French cognac producers.
"First of all, I believe that they will try to sell more in the European market, and in France particularly. I believe that a lot of big houses of cognac will still stand in the market, however, the small houses will just die because they will not be able to sell their product any more,” said Clara Punch, manager of a cognac company in France.
European residents express concerns on EU's tariff policy against China
Yalu River estuary in northeast China's Liaoning Province is a key biodiversity conservation area in China providing habitats for migratory birds and dozens of endangered species.
Situated at the northern edge of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion, the Yalu River estuary in Dandong, Liaoning Province is a crucial stopover site for birds migrating along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway which spans more than 20 countries and regions from the Arctic to Southeast Asia and Australasia.
Staff at the Dandong Yalu River Estuary National Nature Reserve are conducting research on the quantity, species, and spatial distribution of migratory waterbirds as they arrive here during their autumn migration.
"By doing these surveys we can understand the waterbirds' migration patterns, food chains and food distribution. We can also track these birds via satellite to monitor their migration routes and timings within the migratory area," said Ma Li from the nature reserve.
Ma added that the reserve has conducted surveys on northbound waterbirds for 26 consecutive years. The number of migratory birds being surveyed can reach 60,000 to 80,000 during the autumn migration.
As well as being a stopover site for migratory birds, Yalu River estuary also contributes to biodiversity conservation by providing vital habitats for endangered species within the region.
Preserving the typical coastal wetland landscape of East Asia, the Dandong Yalu River Estuary National Nature Reserve accommodates most species of the Liaodong Peninsula in northeast China, thus maintaining the richness and diversity of wildlife.
The nature reserve is home to 453 species of plants, 324 species of birds, more than 80 species of nektons, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
"In terms of global biodiversity conservation, the Yalu River Estuary Wetland in Dandong supports the survival and development of nearly 20 rare and endangered species in the world. Therefore, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this location holds significant importance," said Lei Guangchun, a professor from Beijing Forestry University.
The Yalu River estuary is one of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II) which was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List on July 26.
Migratory bird habitat in China’s Liaoning bears significance for biodiversity conservation
